Roundup for week of 9 December 2007: Imminent ice edition

My weekly roundup is a little earlier this week because we have nasty weather on the way in. I’m thankful for the extra 10 degrees or so in the winter (compared with what it was where I grew up) but that also means more ice storms down here. Anyway, here are some posts of interest from the MBN and other great blogs in my reader:

Five Cent Nickel revisits the best 529 plans from several sources.
No Credit Needed posts an example of the magic of compounding.
Get Rich Slowly highlights commenters’ takes on gift card tricks and tips. (These kinds of posts are a good idea — ones that highlight and summarize comments on a post. Slogging through dozens of comments can be time-consuming, so this post can be a time-saver.)
Free Money Finance lowballed just a bit too much on a house and got laughed at. (This indicates to me that it’s still too much of a sellers’ market. It would be interesting to see what kind of price that seller gets for the house, and how close it was to FMF’s offer. Also, the article has a good way to arrive at an offer price.)
All Financial Matters discusses the private mortgage insurance side effect of the subprime fallout.
Blueprint for Financial Prosperity thinks we’re deep in a buyers’ market based on seller sentiment. (Naaaah, not yet. )
Consumerism Commentary alerted me to the Penny Harvest Field.
Money, Matter, and More Musings is singing “You Don’t Know What You Got ‘Til It’s Gone.”
The Digerati Life shows a picture of where the aliens left a shop circle in the asphalt fields.
The Sun’s Financial Diary asks if paying off a car loan is a good idea, given the situation.
Generation X Finance discusses the folly of draining home equity.
Lazy Man and Money comes through with a great list of 15 things that save time, money, and space.
Money Smart Life tells how to earn a little extra holiday cash. (Ben was also kind enough to include my college article in the video portion of his edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance this week! Thanks Ben!)